Chapter 26

Chapter 26
Chapter 26
“A banquet, you say?”

A touch of cynicism curled Lucian’s lips as he processed the message delivered by the Grand Duke.

Within the circles of the high nobility, the implication of a “family meal” fluctuated drastically depending on the house’s internal dynamics.

In a modest lineage where the line of succession was undisputed, it might be nothing more than a routine morning gathering. However, for a powerhouse like House Valdek to summon every contending rival to a single table?

It signaled a declaration of monumental importance regarding the estate’s future.

“Something troublesome has clearly surfaced. Luckily, it doesn’t appear to be a total catastrophe.”

“I beg your pardon? Sir, the Grand Duke merely requested your presence for dinner, did he not?”

“He specifically summoned only me and my brothers. That detail alone tells me everything I need to know about the current state of affairs.”

Lucian let out a soft laugh at the sight of Hans’s bewilderment and shifted back in his seat.

If the family were facing a disaster so immense that the heirs were insufficient to manage it, the wives of the household would have been called as well. Yet, the Grand Duke had restricted the invitation to Lucian and his male siblings.

Essentially, this was a matter deemed unnecessary for the ladies to hear, but it provided a perfect crucible for testing the competitors for the mantle of successor.

“He is almost certainly going to present us with a mission.”

“A mission, sir?”

“If handled correctly, it is a chance to secure a fresh distinction for my record. That is, assuming the problem is one I am actually capable of resolving.”

Hearing this, Hugo, who had been observing the conversation in silence, felt his gaze sharpen with intensity.

“If there is any cause for you to travel beyond these walls, please ensure I am at your side. I am eager to contribute my strength.”

Ever since his encounter with Grand Duke Sigmund, Hugo’s drive had surged to new heights.

Previously, his aspirations were fueled by a somewhat nebulous hope, but the moment the term ‘knight’ was uttered by the Grand Duke himself, his dream transitioned into an absolute goal. Witnessing Felicia’s induction as the Sword Saint’s ward had undoubtedly made him even more impatient to prove himself.

Fortunately, Felicia possessed a level of natural talent that even Hugo could not deny; thus, his feelings weren’t born of spite, but rather a sharpened sense of professional hunger.

“I had every intention of bringing you. You are the only capable subordinate I can mobilize at this moment. If I were to leave you behind, who else could I possibly rely on?”

“Uh… what about me? I believed I was your subordinate as well, Young Master.”

“You are tasked with guarding our quarters. I cannot leave our home entirely defenseless. Unless, of course, you’d prefer to train in the way of the sword and join us? We might very well find ourselves on a bloody front if things take a turn for the worse.”

“It is the highest duty of a retainer to protect the master’s home in his absence! You can count on me to stay right here!”

The instant the word ‘front’ was mentioned, Hans barked out his loyalty with a deadpan expression. Unlike the martial-minded Hugo, it was clear Hans favored a quiet, safe existence, even if it meant his professional climb was a bit more gradual.

“Regardless, I wonder what the specific issue is.”

Lucian delved into the memories of his previous life, but no recollection surfaced.

Even though he had served House Valdek back then, he had been nothing more than a low-ranking sentry. His access to sensitive data was non-existent; such vital strategic matters would have been handled internally and never whispered to the lower ranks.

I will have to wait for the particulars from Father to see the full picture.

Settling his mind, Lucian rose and made his way toward the grand refectory within the main manor. Though time remained before the start, it was standard etiquette to arrive early and wait for the head of the house on such formal occasions.

“…”

“…”

Lucian drummed his fingers rhythmically against the tabletop in the midst of a heavy, suffocating silence. As if it had been choreographed, Jordi and Joshua had entered the room at the exact same moment he did.

Under different circumstances, they would have been trading barbs and psychological blows, but with the Grand Duke’s arrival imminent, it was social suicide to instigate a conflict.

“You have all gathered. Since you must be famished, let us commence with the food first.”

To their relief, Grand Duke Sigmund entered shortly after. Given that he arrived ahead of the scheduled time, he had likely foreseen the tension and sought to cut through the awkwardness.

The dinner, which acted as a mere prologue to the business at hand, concluded swiftly. Attendants whisked away the plates the moment the final morsel was consumed, and the Grand Duke transitioned immediately to the core issue.

“A complication has surfaced recently along our borders. To be precise, within the district of Bornholm.”

“Is Bornholm not the territory where my eldest brother is currently stationed?”

When Joshua asked with a start, the Grand Duke gave a stiff nod of confirmation.

“It is. That is where I sent Tristan. Months ago, intelligence reached us that the Empire Liberation Front was becoming active in that sector.”

The Empire Liberation Front.

It was an insurgent group composed of radicals from the various client states, united under the banner of breaking free from the Empire’s sovereignty.

While the group was numerically small, they were known for instigating localized uprisings or targeting high-ranking aristocrats for assassination, sowing discord throughout the realm. Naturally, the majority of their plots were thwarted before fruition, but the rare instances of their success made them a persistent nuisance to the Imperial crown.

“However, a peculiar update just arrived from Tristan. It is no longer just the Liberation Front; the local monsters have started acting with uncharacteristic aggression.”

“Could we be looking at a Great Migration?”

Lucian suggested the grim possibility aloud.

A Great Migration was a phenomenon where beasts moved in overwhelming, coordinated tides. If a specific species overpopulated a region, the ecosystem would fail, triggering a famine. Driven by starvation, the entire pack would surge into new territories to find sustenance.

The catastrophe lay in the fact that their paths often intersected with human settlements or fortifications. To a ravenous beast, humans were merely high-quality prey.

With adequate warning, it could be managed as a standard culling operation, but if caught off guard, it could result in a slaughter. The most devastating Great Migration in history had once reduced ten villages and a fortress to rubble.

“I am uncertain. It may look like one at first glance, but it is premature to make that claim. It has only been two decades since the previous Great Migration in Bornholm was put down.”

“Given that the typical cycle for such an event is at least half a century, the timing is indeed suspicious.”

“Even if it isn’t a true Migration, the instability is significant. Dealing with the Liberation Front is a burden on its own, but having to fend off frenzied monsters simultaneously…”

At the very least, the military strength currently on-site was insufficient to cover both threats.

The moment that reality was laid bare, the three brothers realized exactly what their father was leading toward.

“It sounds as though my eldest brother requires reinforcements.”

“He does. And one of you is going to go.”

Following the Grand Duke’s declaration, Jordi and Joshua both lapsed into a wary silence. From any perspective, this was a thankless task.

Tristan was already the man on the ground, the one who held the strategic context and authority. Inevitably, whoever went would merely serve as Tristan’s subordinate. Who would willingly sign up to play the supporting role to a direct competitor, especially with no autonomy over the mission?

In the worst-case scenario, even if they performed brilliantly, Tristan would likely claim the lion’s share of the glory, leaving them as nothing but a footnote in his success.

“Is our personal presence truly required? Surely sending a battalion of knights under your direct banner to assist Brother would suffice…”

“That is out of the question.”

The Grand Duke effectively silenced Jordi before he could finish his thought.

“Deploying further official troops would risk antagonizing the neighboring lords surrounding Bornholm. They would likely form a collective protest, so the current deployment of our elite units is the absolute limit.”

“Could we not simply provide them with an explanation? Those minor lords are merely Barons and the like; there is no reason for you to concern yourself with their opinions, Father.”

“Naturally. But what of the Emperor? If His Majesty himself demands to know why I am amassing such a massive force at the border, do you have a defense prepared for me?”

Jordi was rendered speechless.

As the Grand Duke noted, if a titan like the Valdek Grand Duchy mobilized its main forces, the Emperor would view it as a potential threat. Regardless of the Valdeks’ loyalty to the throne, such heavy military movement was never ignored by the crown.

As Jordi retreated, Joshua spoke up with a sense of urgency.

“If we travel there alone without a private army, I fail to see how we could be of any significant use to the effort.”

“Incorrect. That region is teeming with mercenaries. It is a land where small-scale conflicts are as common as monster sightings. If one of you manages the hiring of those mercenaries, you can compensate for the lack of regular soldiers.”

“But you just stated that concentrating troops would cause—”

“Do you honestly believe that professional soldiers bound by an oath to me are viewed the same as sellswords who fight for coin? To think you lack even that basic level of strategic logic!”

As frustration began to sharpen the Grand Duke’s tone, Joshua immediately pulled back, cowed.

Taking the lead from the silenced Joshua, Lucian interjected.

“The distinction is clear: mercenaries and regular army units are fundamentally different. Even if they find a new patron, the total number of blades in the region doesn’t change. It bypasses the political fallout of moving a standing army and avoids alarming the neighbors.”

“…That is the essence of it.”

“Furthermore, while mercenaries are notoriously fickle because they are motivated solely by profit, that very quality offers a sense of security to those watching for treason. They won’t follow a commander into a hopeless suicide mission, and they are susceptible to bribery from outside parties. Therefore, the Emperor will likely turn a blind eye to the hiring of independent contractors.”

As the explanation concluded, the Grand Duke’s irritation vanished, replaced by a slow nod. A spark of genuine anticipation appeared in his eyes as he studied Lucian.

“Then do you also grasp why I am insisting on sending one of you? I could simply command Tristan to hire the help himself without involving the rest of you.”

“As I mentioned, sellswords are difficult to control. It is a common occurrence for them to break contract and desert when the pressure becomes unbearable. While they live on the edge of death, their goal is to get paid, not to actually die for a cause.”

It was a standard trope for mercenaries to abandon their posts if orders became too reckless. Even Lucian, who had prided himself on his integrity, had been forced to desert several times in his previous life when employers demanded suicidal charges. In the world of the mercenary, ‘strategic withdrawal’ was a survival trait.

By extension, it meant there were plenty of lords who viewed them as expendable meat.

“The issue is that the Bornholm situation is deteriorating. The mercenaries will look for any excuse to vanish the moment the tide turns. Meanwhile, the family’s regular knights will likely use force to prevent that desertion.”

You had knights who were sworn to defend Bornholm, a Valdek asset, with their lives, pitted against mercenaries who were ready to run at the first sign of a lost cause. It was a recipe for internal disaster. It could easily devolve into an internal bloodbath.

“Of course, that friction would be minimized if my eldest brother led them personally. Regardless of how dire the situation, if they were to lay a hand on a member of the Valdek bloodline…”

“I would hunt every last one of those curs to the ends of the earth and erase their entire family trees from existence.”

Lucian nodded solemnly at the Grand Duke’s murderous tone. Any noble house would swear such vengeance if a member were harmed, but the reach of the Valdek Grand Duchy was incomparable. Their retribution would span decades, and they would burn through entire provinces just to ensure every culprit was slaughtered.

“Precisely. The mercenaries are well aware of that reality. Consequently, they would stay in line under my brother’s direct command, even at the risk of their lives. However, the territory he must defend is far too vast for him to supervise every mercenary camp personally.”

The Bornholm frontier was expansive, and with two separate threats to manage, the forces would be stretched thin. Tristan would naturally have to take command of the elite Valdek units himself. If he hired mercenaries, he would be forced to delegate their oversight to a subordinate officer or a lower knight.

That delegation, however, gave the mercenaries the “courage” to revolt if they felt their lives were being thrown away. No matter how prestigious a knight might be, his life simply didn’t carry the weight of a Valdek heir.

“Is this not the reason you wish to send one of us? Because Bornholm requires a commander on the front lines who carries the family name—someone who can keep the mercenaries under control when the situation turns grim.”

“Hmm.”

The moment Lucian finished his analysis, a look of profound satisfaction settled over the Grand Duke’s features.